COLUMBUS-- Columbus Police responded to a crash between several cars that killed three people on I-71 North near 11th Avenue.

The crash happened early Sunday, just after 1:35 a.m.

A man was driving northbound on I-71 at East 11th Avenue when he left the roadway on the left and struck the median wall before striking another vehicle. Several other cars also crashed in the incident.

Three people were killed as a result of the crashes, including, Amal Mohamed and Anisa Abdi Karim, who were pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger in their vehicle was taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital in critical condition.

Police have released the identity of the third person, who also died on the scene as Gabriel Reid Akomeah.

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The accident required crews to close northbound I-71 between I-70 and East 11th Avenue for several hours.

A second crash involving a city pick-up truck working on that road closure happened around 3:00 a.m. at I-71 North and Broad Street.

The driver of that truck was not inside the vehicle at the time of the crash and is not injured.

Both scenes have since cleared and all lanes of northbound I-71 are back open.